I suppose he was lucky to get a job at his age really, but realistically it is more suited to someone with a lot of life experience. So I shouldn't complain... it's just one of those things. It`s not something that would suit everybody as well, but it has to be done. They made that very clear at the interview. No room for any messing about at all. My husband has never suffered from being very cheerful, but was he was happy to get this. I just made myself laugh when I said that.
The training course explained all the ins and outs. It emphasised how important it was to take the position seriously. And how to deal with the inevitable customer complaints. "You will be more unpopular than a Traffic Warden" they had warned him, but they provided a nice buffet lunch, and that made it a good day out as far as he was concerned.
The hardest thing really has been all the paperwork, he has never been one for complicating things "If it ain't broke" I can hear him say. Its been nothing but 'Risk Assessing' and 'Health and Safety' since he started, "you wouldn’t believe how much paperwork using one blade at work can generate" he ranted after his first day. "Showing me how to hold it properly — like I am some young kid." They even made him trim a few inches off of his work clothes, as they said it might be a 'Trip Hazard'. I couldn't help but laugh at that one.
It's the hours that get to me though, I knew it would be like this but I can't get used to it being so unpredictable. His messager 'beeps' and off he goes, regularly in the night... never a word of complaint though, bless. Unfortunately he is always busiest in the winter, "Plenty of overtime for our nest egg" he always reminds me. I got him 'Long–johns' for Christmas... "Any colour so long as it’s black”. He laughed when he saw them.
Oh good... I can hear him coming home now... I had him put some nice gravel on the drive, for when he started coming home in the dark. He used to give me a bit of a scare when I didn't hear him approaching the house...
Cooee!... I'm home.... how has your evening been Mrs Grim Reaper?